


An Endearing Annoyance

by ChileanRevolutionXIII



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-10
Updated: 2016-07-10
Packaged: 2018-07-22 19:14:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7450828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChileanRevolutionXIII/pseuds/ChileanRevolutionXIII
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Enjolras never really realised just how much Grantaire affected him, whether it was good or bad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Endearing Annoyance

**Author's Note:**

> So I wrote this for tumblr's enjoltaire week. It was really fun writing it, so I hope you guys enjoy. ^-^

"God, he's insufferable!" Enjolras slammed his books down on the table, startling Combeferre out of his dozing.

"Who? Grantaire?"

"Who else? All he does is sit there in the corner of the cafe, skeptical and annoyed by everything I say! Did you see him at today's meeting?" Enjolras led a small group that protested against unfair laws and called for change. Grantaire seemingly wanted nothing to do with the meetings, but he always showed up last minute, poking fun and grinning at the blond leader during breaks.

"Calm down, Enjolras. He isn't causing trouble and believe me, he isn't annoyed by your meetings." Enjolras pursed his lips, unconvinced. "I'll talk to him, maybe he'll listen to me for once. He isn't all bad, trust me."

"Okay..." Enjolras reluctantly agreed, relaxing his stance into a less defensive one. "I just feel like he's mocking mine. Here we are trying to rally, and he sits there, rolling his eyes and drinking wine."

"I think you're overthinking it. Wait till tomorrow. Just get a good night's rest, alright?" Combeferre pushed the blond away gently, yawning as he watched Enjolras walk up the stairs to bed.

***

The next night the meeting was in full swing, with loud cheers as Enjolras orated. Grantaire had shown up, but instead of his customary greeting of winking at Enjolras, he sat down at his usual table, a frown on his face. It seemed as though he was in deep thought, but Enjolras almost felt like the brunet was brushing him off. It angered him for some reason. Still, he'd started the meeting, and now there was no stopping it.

When Enjolras felt it was time for a break he paused, letting the others grab drinks and talk amongst themselves during their ten minutes. While it was still loud, Enjolras could've sworn he heard a sigh. Usually in its place was a teasing comment, but that was replaced by one of the most depressing sounds he'd ever heard. He turned to look at Grantaire, who had no bottle and seemed sober. And upset. This was a first. Why Enjolras worried about that, he didn't know, but he walked towards the man, picking up a bottle for him on the way.

"Grantaire?" He called out to the brunet, who met his gaze with dulled eyes.

"What's up, Apollo?" Grantaire propped up his head on a hand, chin against the heel of his palm.  
"You're unusually sober and dejected tonight. Something you need to tell me?"

Grantaire snorted, the rough sound turning into another sigh. "You think I'm pathetic, don't you?"

Where did this come from? "No? Why would you think that?"

"Combeferre told me what happened last night. You were mad at me."

"I was just a little aggravated, that's all." Enjolras suddenly felt awkward, but that feeling was soon replaced with anger. Why should he justify anything he said about Grantaire? "I don't understand why you're always distracting me during meetings, though." These words came out with a bitter tone that surprised both of them.

"Distracting?"

"Yes!" Enjolras snapped. "Always winking and teasing and mocking me when I start talking. It's distracting, like you want me to fail and make a fool of myself."

"Enjolras, listen. I didn't mean to-"

"It's bad enough you come here, but then you open your mouth with a stupid comment, and I mess up. You upset and fluster me, and I hate you for it!" Enjolras knew he'd gone too far with that phrase, but it felt good saying it.

"Say it again." The look on Grantaire's face was stormy, his grey eyes bright as he held Enjolras' gaze.

"I..." Enjolras hesitated. "I think I hate you."

Grantaire gave a sharp nod. "Oh yeah? Well, sorry for annoying you so much, your godliness, but I think I love you."

"What?" Enjolras stood in shock, those words swimming in his mind, but Grantaire scoffed.

"I love you. At least, I thought I did. Nice to see where that got me." He took the bottle from Enjolras' hand, taking a large drink from it before slamming it on the table.

Enjolras still didn't knew what to say when Grantaire stood up. All his eloquence had left him, from the moment he started the conversation.

"Don't expect to see me here anymore. There's no point in it, is there?" He left the cafe, no one noticing but Enjolras.

"Wait..." he said softly, although no one was there to hear it. What the hell had just happened? At the last moment, he'd seen Grantaire's eyes look like liquid silver, tears threatening to spill. Now that was just how Enjolras felt. He flinched when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Enjolras?" It was Courfeyrac. "The break's over, do you want to keep going-" He paused. Enjolras noticed the look of concern on his friend's face and wiped away tears he had no idea had fallen. He was being stupid, wasn't this what he'd wanted? Now Grantaire was gone and the meeting could go on as planned...no. There was no way.

"I'm fine. We're cutting the meeting short though, I-I'm not feeling well."

"Are you sure? Where's Grantaire?"

"Gone. He couldn't stand being here." That, at least, was true. There was no way Grantaire would come back after what had happened.

"Okay...if you're sure. Here, go on ahead, I'll stop the meeting. You look like you could use some quiet time."

"Thanks." Enjolras sat in silence as Courfeyrac walked away. His emotions had disappeared during their conversation, and now he felt like an empty husk. He went to get up and leave, but this time a another hand pushed him down firmly back into his chair.

"What happened?" It was Combeferre. Enjolras thought about retorting at his accusing tone, but then he hung his head.

"I don't know." Combeferre's eyes widened. Enjolras wondered if he looked as pathetic as he felt.

"Well, come on. I'm taking you home before people start wondering why you're moping."

The blond didn't even have a response for that.

They wandered down the streets of Paris. Enjolras rarely drove, there was no need, since the cafe was close enough to where he lived. They were halfway home when Combeferre finally spoke.  
"You know, you're acting like a melodramatic teenage girl."

"Excuse me?"

"You look like you just broke up with someone, E. Does it have to do with Grantaire?" Enjolras blushed at what those sentences seemed to imply. "You know, I did talk to R yesterday. That's why he acted the way he did tonight. We both thought you'd appreciate a little peace tonight. Apparently you didn't."

Enjolras opened his mouth to talk, but he was cut off again.

"Listen. I've been your friend since we were kids. I've seen you both passionate and disinterested. Sophomore year, when you dated Eponine. That was disinterest. You couldn't stop yawning. It wasn't your fault, you just have your mind on other things. Like your speeches. Those are pure passion. Your eyes light up like you've had an epiphany. You know this, don't you?"

Enjolras nodded, not sure where his friend was going with this.  
"It's the same with Grantaire. He first came to a meeting what, three months ago? Since then you haven't stopped talking about him. You act like you could care less about him, but it's a ruse. You talk about him the same way you orate."

"Combeferre..." Enjolras protested, face red.

"You know it's the truth. At the very least you like him. So tonight you lost your temper with him, and then what?" The blond said nothing, but Combeferre looked at him expectantly.

"I told him I hated him, and he told me he loved me." That moment and all its emotions hit Enjolras like a truck and he stopped walking, looking down at the ground.

"You messed up."

"I know. I should go talk to him."  
Combeferre shook his head. "Not tonight. I doubt he wants to see you at the moment. Go see him in the morning."

***

Enjolras had woken up filled with determination. He was going to Grantaire's house to apologise. At this point he didn't deserve any forgiveness, but he needed to try. He put on his favourite red hoodie, walking down the road. Combeferre had given him directions, and he followed them until he reached an apartment building. Grantaire's apartment was on the bottom, so he decided to just knock on the door than go inside and use the buzzer.

No one answered, so he decided to ring the doorbell. Finally he heard thudding footsteps and someone call out, "Hold on, I heard you!" followed by a curse.  
So he was probably hungover. Enjolras waited patiently. The door clicked open, and he saw Grantaire hold the door open so that he could look out the narrow opening.

"Apollo? What are you doing here?"

"Can we talk?" There was a long moment of hesitation, and the door closed. Then there was the second click of a chain lock and the door swung wide open, letting Enjolras in. The blond took in his surroundings.

It was a dimly lit room they were standing in, empty save a table, some chairs, and an enormous pile of books. So he looked to read. It made sense, the brunet was always waxing poetic.

"So?" Grantaire's voice pulled Enjolras out of his thoughts. "Are you here to keep insulting me?"

"No, it's nothing like that." Although it's tempting, now that I see the mood you're in..."I just wanted to talk."

"Fine, sit down." As Enjolras took a seat he noticed Grantaire was still wearing his pyjamas, a black plain t-shirt and baggy pants. Although normally the blond found pyjamas sloppy, he couldn't help thinking Grantaire looked nice in them. The other man sat down across from Enjolras, eyebrow raised expectantly."Well?"

"I'm sorry," Enjolras said, quiet enough so that even he wasn't sure he'd said it.

"What?"

"I said I'm sorry," he spoke up. "Last night things got out of hand, and while I meant some of the things I said, I don't hate you. I just got carried away."

"Look, Enjolras," Grantaire started. "I don't have to go to the meetings if it upsets you that much. You don't have to apologise."

"But I want you to be there!" Enjolras exclaimed. Grantaire's brow furrowed as if he didn't believe what he was hearing.

"Are you ill, Apollo? The man I know would never have said that."

"Stop making fun and listen. Yes, you are annoying, and you make it a point to anger me at least once every meeting. I should hate that, but I don't. Yesterday after our fight I felt awful, but I had no idea why. I thought I'd be happy. Instead I felt guilty. I'm sorry." Enjolras shifted his eyes so that he was looking anywhere but at Grantaire. He had no idea how he'd react.

"Enjolras."

The blond looked up to see a pair of arms wrap around him in a hug. He returned the embrace, taking in Grantaire's scent.

"Ha, you smell like wine..." Enjolras let out a shaky laugh, which was echoed by Grantaire's chuckle.

"Rude. And I was just warming up to you." Grantaire pressed a chaste kiss to Enjolras' forehead. Enjolras pulled Grantaire down and kissed him on the lips, both the blond and brunet enjoying it.  
Grantaire pulled away and stood up. "There's something I've been wanting to ask you," he said, raising Enjolras' head so their eyes met.

"Yeah? What that?" Enjolras said, a smile in his face.

"Would you do me the honor of going on a date with me?" Grantaire's eyes were bright and happy. Enjolras never wanted those eyes to change.  
"I'd love to."


End file.
